1. Field of the Invention
A supporting platform for an object, preferably a person, on which the person may dance or otherwise exercise and in different embodiments being configured to allow a reclining or sitting orientation of the person thereon. The platform is directly exposed to varying degrees of pulsation or vibration caused by an assembly of speakers disposed beneath the undersurface of the supporting platform in spaced but "communicating" relation thereto so as to affect the vibration in the platform upon an activation of the speaker assembly wherein the vibration may effectively be "felt" by the objects and/or people touching or supported on the platform.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Man's response to music in the form of dancing, exercise, etc. is well known and common regardless of age, background, heritage, etc. Any enhancement of the enjoyment of music or sound in general would be equally well accepted as a basic concept of dancing to the rhythm of the music itself. Accordingly, it is believed that there is a need for a reverberation assembly of the type which incorporates a platform used for the support of objects and primarily people thereon. The platform could be of simple design capable of allowing movement, such as when dancing or exercising, of a plurality of people on an exposed surface thereof. Alternately, the platform could take a variety of other configurations which allow a person to at least partially recline or be repositioned in a somewhat sitting orientation thereon. In any of the aforementioned embodiments, cooperation of the platform with a speaker assembly such that the person could in effect could "feel" vibration of the platform caused by activation of the speaker assembly wherein the generation of sound and preferably music would cause rhythmic vibration in accordance with the sound or music to be effectively communicated, through physical touch to the person or object on the exposed surface of the platform.
Numerous devices in the prior art, some of which have been in existence for many years are evidenced by certain existing United States patents. Specifically, the following United States patents all relate generally to the subject matter of the type described herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. Murphy, 1,693,655; Cawley, 1,962,055; Nelson, 2,862,255; Cain, 3,311,712; Dahlborg, 3,604,173; and Kuebler, 3,668,885.
Nelson discloses a floor construction which is directed specifically to the cushioning of a wood floor so as to maintain a certain amount of resiliency during the use of the floor for the expressed purpose of preventing or at least delaying tiredness or aches resulting from dancing, skating, or like activities. The patents to Cain and Cawley as cited above, are directed to the production or reproduction of sound by effectively making a solid object such as a floor, wall, ceiling, etc. a vibrating diaphragm component of the speaker itself. These patents are both directed to sound reproduction per se and not the specific generation or production of rhythmic vibration for the purpose of allowing people to both "feel" the sound as well as hearing the sound. In addition, Cain relates to a sonic transducer which incorporates a solid object as a vibrating diaphragm component through its direct physical contact with a transducer mechanism.
Accordingly, prior art attempts to enhance the enjoyment of sound or music per se have not resulted or been extended to the point where vibrations are specifically and purposely set up without the generation of sound or making a supporting platform a portion of the speaker system itself to the extent that people or objects on the exposed surface of the platform can effectively "feel" the vibration set up in the platform upon the activation of the speaker and the generation therefrom of sound, particularly music.